Barebacks and Bicycles

Park City's Public Art Program unveils two new installations.

When City Council established the Public Art Advisory Board (PAAB) in 2003 to purchase public art, the goals were to increase understanding of the visual arts and promote Park City as a leading cultural destination. A decade later, with more than a dozen artistic installations on display around town, from decorated bus shelters to murals and sculptures, the program has done those goals one better: public art has become integral to Park City’s identity as a world-class resort town plus a whole lot more. This summer, be sure to check out the latest creations:

Santa Fe artist Jamie Burns (jnbdesigns.com) focuses on archetypal creatures and forms to express what he calls the deep spirit of life on earth and to explore the tension between natural and man-made elements. Flaco, a life-size mustang made of Cor-Ten steel and wood, is displayed in City Park as part of PAAB’s Art on Loan Program.

Selected from a pool of more than 200 artists, Venezuelan-born artist Jorge Blanco (jorgeblancosculpture.com) created the city’s first commissioned piece for the newly renovated Park City Municipal Athletic and Recreation Center. Blanco’s sculpture, Air, features brightly painted aluminum cyclists whose bicycle wheels spin in the wind. “I thought about how the air feels on your face and body when you ride,” Blanco says. “I was also inspired by Park City’s clean air, and I combined those two ideas to make the piece.”